Mission
WATR is a grassroots organization working to protect and improve the water quality and habitat of the Tuckasegee Watershed. The river and its tributaries are the ecological and economic heart of Jackson and Swain Counties, providing drinking water, supporting wildlife, and sustaining local communities. We work to keep the watershed healthy for generations to come– because we all live downstream.
Welcome Watershed Stewards!
Explore the Tuckasegee River
Learn more about the Tuckasegee River’s history, culture, geography, climate and more.
The Tuckasegee River rises in the Blue Ridge mountains near Cashiers, North Carolina. It flows some 60 miles northwest past the communities of Tuckasegee, Cullowhee, Webster, Dillsboro, Whittier, and Bryson City, then empties into Fontana Lake and joins the Little Tennessee River. The watershed is home to six lakes, innumerable waterfalls, and portions of the Nantahala National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The river flows within ancestral Cherokee lands, and it name likely comes from a Cherokee village, Tsiksitsi (meaning “crawling terrapin,” for the sluggish movement of the waters), that once stood on its banks.
Summer 2026 Recreational Monitoring Is Underway!
Have you ever wondered if our water is safe for swimming, paddling, tubing, or fishing? We can help with that!
2024 WATR Impact Report: Looking Back and Moving Forward
On December 5, 2024 we came together to celebrate WATR's accomplishments over the past several years and share what
WATR 2024 Fundraiser
2024 Celebration and Fundraiser Party: Annual Meeting, Live Music, Silent Auction, Catered Dinner You're Invited to a Live